Tire-buffing machine



7 May 5, 1925.

J. REITZ ET AL TIRE BUFFING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1923 2 Rea? Zkyem Patented May 5, 1925.

I 1 6 8 UNITED STATES PATENT osr cs- JOSEPH nnrrz AND raEnnno 'rnnenssnn, JR, or JsAmvEr'rE, rnNiIsYLvANrn.

TIRE-BUFFING MACHINE.

, Application filed December 11, 1923. Serial No. 679,964.

To all whom it may concern Be it-known that Josurri Rnrrz and Funn- ERIC Tmaonssnn, Jn, both citizens of the" United States, residing 'at Jeannette, in the county of lVestmoreland and; State of Penn- I sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Butting Machines,

of which the following is a specification This invention relates to buffing machines and more in particula'rto machines for bufi' ing machine of this character permitting greater andmore uniform-pressure to be exerted against the tires than is possible by the hand method of butting now in 'use. Still a further object is to devise such a machine which has all the ruggedness required for such service and yet is of sutiiciently light weight to be moved about by the operators own strength. Additional features and ad vantages of thisinvention will appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this application.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine, shown in positionto operate on a the,

Fig. 2 is a top view corresponding to Fig. l.

Fig. 3 isa partial cross-section taken on line 3-3 in Figurel.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of the tire butling machine. I

Fig. 5 is a top plan view corresponding to Fig. 4. showing the machine in engagement with a tire.

Fig. 6 is a. fractional top plan view showing the machine in its inoperative position relative to a tire.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially on line 7.-7 in Figure 4:.

Reference being had to (he drawings. tho huliing machine comprises a pair of interchangeable butting brushes 1, having very stiff bristles pre tor-ably made of metal, and a pair of finishing-pads .2 made of folded abrasive cloth, or sand paper. Each of said brushes is preferably mounted and suitably secured to permit renewal in a brush-holder 3 having a depending 'lug 4: by means of which it is mounted in an aperture 5 provided in an arm 6 and rockably secured therein by a removable pin or bolt 7. Each finishing-pad is removably secured in a pad holder 8 composed of two arcuate clamping plates 9- and 10 held together by bolts 11.'

The inner clamping plate 9 is secured in any .desired mannerto a support 12 made of suitably shaped strap metal having a longitudinal slot 13 and secured for longitudinal sliding movement on the arm 6 by means'of bolts 14. Said arms 6 are hingedly and symmetrically mounted on a rack-member 15. having a T-shaped head v16 properly bifurcated to receive the hinge-lugs 17 formed laterally on. the arms. The latter are. r0ck-.

ably secured to said head by means of bolts 18. The reason for curving the pads-2 is to give them greater stiffness against buckling and greater contact area. i

The rack-member is mounted for reciprocativc movement on a stand 19 having'at its upper part a finished and T-shapecl aperture 2-0 engaged by the intermediate part of the rack-member which part, for the purpose of affording a good guiding contact, is .pro-

vided on each side with the flanges 21 properly machined to fit within the opening 20.

The supporting legs 22 of said stand are secured to, or formed integrally with, the

, base 23 and are sufiiciently spaced apart to provide room for-a gear 24 meshing with the teeth 25 cut on alert of the underside of the rack-member. T is gear is fastened upon a shaft 26 supported in bearings'27 and 28 provided in the legs and is rotated by means of a crank .29 secured to the shaft. As shown in Fig. l, the teeth 30 on the gear 24: occupy only a fraction of the circumference of the latter, corresponding to the length of the toothed part of the rack-member; the blank portion of the gear acting as a limiting stop for the reciprocating movements of the nick-member. I I

The brushes and finishing-pads are brought into contact withthe sides of the tire to be buffed by means of the following hand operated mcchanism:'1\ double wedge-member illis forced against the correspondingly bevelcd ends 32 ot the arms 6 hyuneans of a rod 33 passing through an aperture 34: .formed longitudinally in the body ot'the rack-me m' ber, in which a slot 35 has also been provided to receivesaid \\-'edge-inember.

rockablv connected by a hinge-pin 38 to a bracket 39 depending from the rear end'of the rack-member and made integral therewith, preferably.

The connection between the rod and the lever is effected by means of a sleeve-member 4O placed within the bifurcation of the lever and having lateral pins 41 secured on each side thereof and engaging guide slots 42 provided in each side of said lever. The rod is securely held in the sleeve-member in any deslred manner, such as by the pins and wvashers 43 and- 44, respectively. 1t will be noted that this construction provides for all the variations of the relative angular position between the rod and the lever.

' The arms are normally held into open, or inoperative, posit-ion by means of a spring '45 positioned intermediate the lugs 17 ,and

the beveled ends 32 and having each of its ends secured to one arm 0.

Having described n detail the essential parts of this tlre bufiing machine, its mode of operation may now be gone into andwill be readily understood.

As is well known, a tire upon removal from its mold is covered outwardly with scales, asperities and a great a1nount.of thin webs, or fins, which occur at places where the various component parts of the mold are joined together. The appearance of a tire, as taken from its mold, is therefore not pleasing and it becomes necessary to remove all the above blemishes in order to obtain a presentable commercial article. Heretofore, when a tire had to be .bufi'ed, it was first driven on a slightly conical drum, or mandrel, 47 mounted on a shaft 48 which would be rotated by any suitable mechanism. The operator would then hold a suitable-bufiingbrush in the palm of his hand and press heavily against one side of the revolving tire, being assisted therein by practically the whole weight of his body. The operation was not only extremely fatiguing, but also quite unhealthy owing to the dust produced by the scales; and the abrasive material. Moreover, the heat generated by the friction of the brushes and finishing pads would force the operator to interrupt his work quite frequently, until his brushes or abrasive. pads had-cooled down. For thesereasons it became very hard to get men to work steadily in the butting room of a tire factory and the labor turn-over would, of course, cause appreciable losses to the employers.

With the machine which forms theeobject of this application, the aboyementioned objeetions pertaining to the buffing operation by handare not only overcame, but the pro- The .that both sides of a tire are butl'ed rod is manually operated by the lever 36 the lower part 37 of which is bifurcated and duction is more than doubled'due to the fact the same time and that no delays due to fatigue, dust, etc.', are encountered.

The bufiing machine is suitably placed in front of the tire -to 'be buffed and the brushes are brought within reach of the tire byopcrating the crank 29. The abrasive pads are also adjusted, by means of the bolts l4,-to engage the fins 49, which occur always at the same places on tires made from the same or identical molds. The tire is now revolved and the brushes andabrasive-pads are in the same time. that would be required to.

bufi' one side only.

There has also been, shown in the drawing an aperture 50 lacedsubstantially at the middle of the T- lead of the rack-memher; the purpose of this aperture is to per- 'mit the insertion and securing of a third butting-brush, similar'to the ones described,

when it is desired to buff thetread portion of a tire. This additional brush is especially valuable for buffing tires havinga smooth tread. When so provided, the butting machine will enablethe buffing operation to be performedon the three exposed sides of a tire at substantially the same. time and at the same setting.

It will be understood, of course, that the arrangements we have herein shown are merely suggestive of many that' might be adopted in carrying out this invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the construction illustrated otherwise than as specified in the appended claims.

hat we claim is v 5 1. In a butfing machine of the character described, a standard, a reciprocable member mounted thereon-j means to reciprocate said member; a plurality of arms hingedly and symmetrically mounted on said reciprocable member;- brush-holders carried by said arms; brushes mounted in said hold-- ers; a plurality of finishing pads, supports therefor adjustably ,mountcd upon said arms, and hand operated, 1neans for" co1lverging said arms. g

2. In a butiing machine of the character described, a standard;; a reciprocable member mounted thereon; means to reciprocate said member; a pluralityof arms hingedly and symmetrically mo uit'ed on said reciprocable member; blllShrhOldClS rockably mounted on said arms; brushesremovably secured in said holders; a plurality, of tinishing pads removably mounted on supports secured for longitudinal: adjustment of said arms, and hand operated means for converging said arms.

3. In a butting machine of the character described, a standard; a reciprocable member mounted thereon; means to reciprocate saidmember; a plurality of arms hingedly and symmetrically mounted on said reciprocable member; brush-holders rockably mounted on said arms; brushes removably secured in said holders; a plurality of finishing pads removably mounted on supports secured for longitudinal adjustment on said arms: meansto stiffen said pads against buckling, and hand operated means for converging said arms. i

.4. In a butting machine of the character described, a standard; a reciprocable member mounted thereon; means to reciprocate said member; a plurality of arms hingedly and symmetrically mounted on said reciprocable member; brush-holders roekably mounted on saidarms; brushes removably secured in said holders; a plurality of finishing pads removablymounted on supports secured for longitudinal adjustment on said arms; means to stiffen said pads against buckling; verging said arms, and means for automatically separating said arms. a

5. In a butting machine of the character described, a standard; a reciproeable member mounted thereon; means to reciprocate said member; a plurality of arms hingedly and symmetrically mounted on said reciprocable member; brush-holders rockably mounted on said aims; brushes removably secured in said holders; a plurality of finishing pads removably mounted on supports secured for longitudinal adjustment on said arms; hand operated. means for converging said arms, and means for limiting the reciprocal movements of said reciprocable member.

6. In a butting machine of the character described, a standard; a reciprocable member having a rack mounted thereon; a gear engaging said rack, said gear having stops to limit the movements of said reciprocable member; means to rotate said gear manually; a plurality of arms hingedly and symlnetrically mounted on said reciprocable member; brush-holders rockably mounted von said arms; brushes removably secured in said holders; a plurality of finishing pads; supports therefor mounted for longitudinal adjustment on said arms, said pads being secured for greater stiffness to said supports hand operatethnieans for .con-

by arcuate clamping plates; hand operated means fouconverging said arms, and resilientmeans for separating same 'Zqlna butting machine of the character engaging said rack, said gear having stops to limit the n'iovements of said reciproeable member; means to rotate said gear manuby arcuate clamping plates; hand operated means for driving said wedge member be-. tween said beveled surfaces, and resilient means for separating said arms automatically. 8. In a. batting machine of the character described, astandard; a reciprocable member having a rack mounted thereon; a gear engaging said rack, said gear having stops to limit the n'iovemcnts of said reciprocable member; means to rotate said gear manually; a plurality of arms hingedly and synnnetrically mounted on said reciprocable member; said arms having inwardly directed converging beveled surfaces provided on their inner extremities; a \vedgermember adapted to engage said beveled surfaces; brush-holders rockably mounted on said arms; brushes removably'secured in said holders; a plurality of finishing-pads; Su ports therefor mounted for longitudinal dijustment on said arms; said pads being secured for greater stiffness to said supports by arcuate clamping-plates; a hand operated lever mounted for rocking movement upon said reciprocable member; means connecting, said lever to said wedge-member positioned substantially Within said reciprocable member, and a spring member positioned betliveen said arms for. normally separating t 1cm.

In testimony ivhereof they aflix their sig-.

natures. 

